Belts closed in an endless manner represent annular elements which can be used for example as drive belts such as, for example, V-belts, for the transmission of power. However, the belts can also be used as conveyor belts for transporting for example loose bulk materials. The belts can also be used in order to serve as track belts for propelling the vehicle in the case of tracked vehicles.
Belts of this type in general run around a drive and further guide or support rollers, respectively, in order for the drive output to be transmitted to an output element (V-belt) in order for the drive output to be utilized for transporting material (conveyor belt) or for propelling a vehicle (track belt). To this end, the belts have a predetermined elasticity, on the one hand, which can be achieved for example by the use of an elastomeric material such as, for example, rubber, as the base material of the belt. On the other hand, these belts usually in the longitudinal direction have one or a plurality of strength supports in order for the tensile forces to be transmitted in the running direction of the belt. The strength supports can be, for example, steel cables which permit a particularly high force to be transmitted, but textile fabrics as strength supports are also typical.
Belts of this type, for example as V-belts, can to some extent be produced in an already closed manner. In most cases, for example as conveyor belts or track belts, the belts by virtue of the length thereof in the longitudinal direction are produced so as to be typically open, that is, produced as an elongate body, and are also transported in this state to the application site. There, the belts there are then closed in an endless manner. Herein, a belt by way of the two ends thereof can be closed in an inherently endless manner, or at least two belt segments can be disposed in sequence and be conjointly closed in an endless manner to form one belt. Closing in an endless manner can be performed by joining the two ends by vulcanization, for example, this however precluding a non-destructive separation of the ends and thus opening of the belt, for instance in the case of wear or damage. Furthermore, to this end a high level of complexity is required at the application site.
Therefore, it is known for the ends of the strength supports to be left free from the elastomeric material or exposed, respectively, at both ends of the open belt, and for these ends to be connected in a mechanical manner. This can be performed, for example, in that the respective ends are jammed in a respective common coupling element, and the two coupling elements are interconnected, for example in the manner of a hinge, by means of a coupling bar. By distributing this mechanical clamping connection across two coupling elements which are then mutually rotatable as an articulation, the flexure of the belt overall is to be restricted as little as possible. This can be required in particular in the case of tight deflection radii.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,770,394 B2 and U.S. Pat. No. 9,506,526 B2 show a belt from an elastomeric material having a strength support tier from steel cables which run in the longitudinal direction of the belt and are disposed so as to be mutually parallel. The ends of the steel cables are in each case jammed in a force-fitting manner by press-fitting into a connection element in the form of a belt-end body. The two connection elements have in each case castellated projections that are directed toward one another and are laterally mutually overlapping which are provided with transverse bores. A coupling bar in relation to which the two belt-end bodies can rotate in relation to one another can be passed through the transverse bores. On account thereof, the belt is closed in an endless manner and the two belt ends are intercoupled in the manner of a hinge.
It is disadvantageous herein that the tools by way of which the press-fitting of the ends of the steel cables is carried out in the belt-end bodies can wear. This can arise in particular because very high pressing forces can be required in order for the ends of the steel cables to be press-fitted in the belt-end body. The wear of the tools can influence the quality of the press-fit connection and thus lead to a reduced durability of the press-fit connection. This can reduce the maximum permissible tensile forces of the belt and reduce the service life of the latter.